Real time VAT ledgers in Hungary

Following the changes announced on ERP and invoicing software requirements in Hungary, the Hungarian government recently announced that businesses issuing invoices using an invoicing software will be required to provide real time data regarding these invoices. The real time data provision will have to include all transactions in which another business with a Hungarian tax number is involved and the invoice includes at least 100,000 HUF VAT.

The new real time data providing requirement will be introduced in two steps. As the first step from the 1 January 2017 (as a test phase) it will be optional to provide the additional data. The system will go live and the new requirement will become an obligation from the 1 July 2017.

The new requirement assumes additional IT development in terms of the invoicing software on the side of the taxpayers issuing invoices. Since the invoicing software is supposed to be able to provide data for the Tax Authority in case of an audit since the 1 of January 2016, the new requirement is not supposed to put an excessive administrative burden on the taxpayers.

As these rules are in the proposal phase right now, nothing is certain until the Hungarian Parliament approves them. What is certain is that it is never too early to start preparing for these changes, which will affect the administrative obligations of a great number of business.

What this means potentially to your business?

If you are already obliged to hand in summary statements, the only change in this respect will be that you will have to include more data on these sheets. If you issued, or accepted invoices with at least 100,000 HUF VAT, but less than 1,000,000 HUF VAT, you will have to start handing in summary statements (“M” sheets) as part of your VAT declaration.

Regarding the new requirements for the invoicing software, you will need to make your invoicing software capable of real time data transfer by 1 of July 2017 at the latest.

This information has been kindly provided by our Hungarian local contact, Daniel Sztanko from RSM Hungary.